New Delhi: Recent protests in the national capital have inspired a series of free online video games that transform political developments into satirical digital experiences. Players can take part in virtual marches, evade police, avoid detention and collect points linked to democracy and accountability.
Among the games attracting attention are Jantar Mantar Chalo, Bhaag Neha Bhaag and Jantar Mantar to Jail. Each draws on scenes, personalities and memes associated with demonstrations involving the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other protest groups.
News coverage inspires a protest-themed game
Suraj Kushwah, a 27-year-old technology enthusiast from Bareilly who works at a cloud gaming company, developed Jantar Mantar Chalo after watching news coverage of the protests.
Kushwah used artificial intelligence tools and his gaming knowledge to build the game in around a day and a half. It lets players choose between a protester and a Delhi Police officer.
Players controlling protesters must gather supporters and march towards Jantar Mantar, while police players attempt to detain as many demonstrators as possible. Tear gas, water cannons and other obstacles affect the progress of the virtual march.
The game also includes interactions with journalists, with media coverage potentially increasing a protester's influence and attracting more participants. Its virtual map features locations such as India Gate, police stations, detention centres and the Badarpur border.
Kushwah said the game initially spread through social media posts and reels. According to him, around 2,000 users played simultaneously on one day, while approximately 500 players logged in regularly. He said he was considering further updates following the attention it received.
‘Bhaag Neha Bhaag’ turns detentions into a running game
Another game, Bhaag Neha Bhaag, was created by 30-year-old screenwriter and filmmaker Anav Nayar with coding support from his brother, Akshay Nayar. The brothers co-founded Wizloop Studios.
The idea developed as they followed attempts by AISA president Neha Bora and other protesters to reach Jantar Mantar despite repeated detentions.
Inspired by games such as Super Mario, Subway Surfers and the offline dinosaur game, the title features a character based on Neha running while police pursue her. Players must jump over barricades, police personnel and vehicles to avoid being caught. Letters representing democracy appear as collectibles along the route.
Nayar said the developers were planning changes to ensure the character was represented respectfully. He also reported receiving messages from users seeking access to the game, with around 2,700 verified players having tried it at the time of his statement.
Democracy and accountability become collectibles
The Nayar brothers also developed Jantar Mantar to Jail, in which players select CJP members Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das or Ashutosh Ranka. Players dodge falling jail bars and police personnel while collecting coins labelled “Accountability” and “Democracy”. The democracy tokens carry a higher score.
Another satirical game features Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, using an interactive scoring format to comment on political controversy.
Games draw on a wider protest backdrop
The digital projects emerged amid demonstrations organised by the CJP and other groups. Earlier protests in June and July included a march towards Parliament on July 20, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In October, the group joined opposition parties and student organisations in protests calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstrations raised allegations concerning the Election Commission's functioning and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The games use humour, familiar gaming mechanics and recognisable political references to reinterpret these events for online audiences. While the real demonstrations take place on Delhi's streets, the digital versions allow players to decide how many supporters to gather, which obstacles to overcome and whether they can reach the finish line without detention.
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